Title: AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 43-17-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE PARENTS AND CARETAKER RELATIVES APPLYING FOR OR RECEIVING TANF BENEFITS TO TAKE A LITERACY TEST TO DETERMINE IF THEY ARE FUNCTIONALLY LITERATE BEFORE THEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE OR CONTINUE RECEIVING TANF BENEFITS; TO PROVIDE THAT IF A PERSON IS DETERMINED NOT TO BE FUNCTIONALLY LITERATE AFTER TAKING THE LITERACY TEST, THE PERSON MUST ENROLL IN AND ATTEND A LITERACY PROGRAM IN ORDER TO RECEIVE OR CONTINUE RECEIVING TANF BENEFITS; TO PROVIDE THAT ANY PERSON WHO IS DETERMINED NOT TO BE FUNCTIONALLY LITERATE AND WHO REFUSES OR FAILS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LITERACY PROGRAM SHALL HAVE HIS OR HER TANF BENEFITS TERMINATED FOR CERTAIN TIME PERIODS; TO PROVIDE THAT ANY PERSON WHO HAS BEEN DETERMINED NOT TO BE FUNCTIONALLY LITERATE MAY RETAKE THE LITERACY TEST AT ANY TIME; TO PROVIDE THAT ANY PERSON WHOSE TANF BENEFITS WERE TERMINATED UNDER THIS ACT WHO RETAKES THE LITERACY TEST AND IS DETERMINED TO BE FUNCTIONALLY LITERATE SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR TANF BENEFITS AGAIN; TO PROVIDE THAT THE LITERACY TEST REQUIRED BY THIS ACT SHALL BE DESIGNED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND PROVIDED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES; TO PROVIDE THAT THE LITERACY PROGRAM PROVIDED FOR UNDER THIS ACT SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND ANY PERSON DETERMINED NOT TO BE FUNCTIONALLY LITERATE MAY ATTEND THE LITERACY PROGRAM AT NO CHARGE; TO PROVIDE THAT THE LITERACY PROGRAM SHALL BE FUNDED WITH TANF FUNDS RECEIVED BY THE STATE OR WITH STATE MAINTENANCE-OF-EFFORT FUNDS UNDER THE TANF PROGRAM, OR BOTH, AS ALLOWED UNDER FEDERAL LAW; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Information pertaining to this measure was last updated on 01/31/06 at 18:07.